# European Union & US and Huber's Winery



## ky toker (Jun 2, 2005)

My wife and I went to Huber's winery yesterday as part of our anniversary run-around for the day and I noticed they were bottling their Port in new bottles. Come to find out that they will no longer have the word Port on their bottles, because of an agreement between the US and the European Union. The Euro indistry is pissed because of blah-de-blah-blah, which translates into, "your taking part of the wine market and we will piss & moan about it.

So apparently some companies will be grandfathered in and those who do not will have a grace period to cease calling their wine by names like; Port, Sherry, Champagne.

I'm sure I'm missing some info on this but this article can give you a start. Anyone else have info?

*EU uncorks anger over US wine pact*


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## Baric (Jun 14, 2006)

Yeah this kind of thing is rife over here (ie in the EU). People get very protective over their products and like to kepp their Unique Selling Points. its happened lots in the UK-eg a type of Pork Pie, the Melton Mowbray pork pie is only allowed to be called such if made within something like 25 miles of the town of Melton Mowbray. The same has always been the case with drinks - 

-Port is only allowed to be named such if made in the Porto region of Portugal.
-Champagne is only allowed to be named Champagne if made in Champagne region of France-otherwise its Sparkling Wine.

I think this is just the result of the EU finding its feet and becoming a significant international trader.


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## ky toker (Jun 2, 2005)

Baric said:


> I think this is just the result of the EU finding its feet and becoming a significant international trader.


Well I can't blame them really. Unless produced to the strict rules noone else can call their whisky Bourbon. I'd even like to see it tighten so far as noone else can produce bourbon, too. Although I don't see, and I could be blind, many bourbon makers outside of Ky.


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## par (May 22, 2005)

... or french 'philly cheesesteaks'. Just doesn't sound right...?


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## smokinpoke (Apr 8, 2006)

what a bunch of whiney bastages. a port is a port is a port. a rose by any other name is still a rose.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

ky toker said:


> Well I can't blame them really. Unless produced to the strict rules noone else can call their whisky Bourbon. I'd even like to see it tighten so far as noone else can produce bourbon, too. Although I don't see, and I could be blind, many bourbon makers outside of Ky.


:tpd:

How is the consumer going to know what is in the bottle if companies can misrepresent the contents by generalizing "bourbon, port, champagne, congac, and scotch?"


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## Jeff (Jan 2, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> :tpd:
> 
> How is the consumer going to know what is in the bottle if companies can misrepresent the contents by generalizing "bourbon, port, champagne, congac, and scotch?"


I agree. However, I feel that ignorance is no excuse, and the consumer should have some level of education about the products they are purchasing.


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## drevim (Dec 21, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> :tpd:
> 
> How is the consumer going to know what is in the bottle if companies can misrepresent the contents by generalizing "bourbon, port, champagne, congac, and scotch?"


Well, in the case of Port, in the US. If the bottle says PORTO it is Portugal Port, and if it says PORT it is not from Portugal. Champagne is the hairy one, since just about every maker of lesser quality sparkling wine, calls their stuff Champagne. Although several of the California sparkling wine makers now show respect to France by not using the name Champagne. Short of looking at the origins of the bottle, an uninformed buyer would have little way to tell. I tend to look for the word Kentucky on the bottles of Bourbon I buy, and with the strictness of the distilleries, I doubt there is much threat of anyone jumping in and wanting to use the name bourbon.

Is there a real issue with this, the misrepresentation? I know the Europeans tend to be protective of their wines, but I don't think there is a true threat of someone buying a $2 bottle of non-French "Bordeaux", being disappointed and shunning the grape and France. There are some damn fine non-Portugal Ports, as long as the knowledge of the name game is out there, I see no harm.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

drevim said:


> There are some damn fine non-Portugal Ports, as long as the knowledge of the name game is out there, I see no harm.


I'll give you port as being a general term that other people could use, but not porto for sure. I like to know exact appelations for wine and precise mixture of grapes on the label. I know CS is full of France bashers, but they and Italy do it right with proper labelling.

Just as now a lot of new world wines have own Terrior that is worth mentioning on the label. Many wine buyers will just go on Barosa Valley or Russian River...


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## Lumpold (Apr 28, 2005)

drevim said:


> Champagne is the hairy one, since just about every maker of lesser quality sparkling wine, calls their stuff Champagne. Although several of the California sparkling wine makers now show respect to France by not using the name Champagne.


Well, see... wine that is called champagne has to contain grapes grown ONLY in the Grand and Petit Champagne regions of France. The Spanish call their sprakling wines Cava. (Well, as far as all the sparkling Spanish wines I've had go, and the Italians have Asti Spumante)



Drevim said:


> Is there a real issue with this, the misrepresentation? I know the Europeans tend to be protective of their wines, but I don't think there is a true threat of someone buying a $2 bottle of non-French "Bordeaux", being disappointed and shunning the grape and France. There are some damn fine non-Portugal Ports, as long as the knowledge of the name game is out there, I see no harm.


How can a bordeaux not be made in bordeaux? In the same way that a Texas BBQ outside of Texas is a Texas STYLE bbq, it's a Bordeaux STYLE wine, not a Bordeaux. So label the port Port Style Wine.

Now, I'm not saying that American or other wine/port styles aren't as good as Champagne/Oporto, but, to me, I agree that if it isn't made in Melton Mowbray, it's not a Melton Mowbray, if it's not made in Champagne, it's not a Champagne, if it's not made in Oporto, it isn't a port.

Should they label Madeira Wine as port? It's made in pretty much the same way.


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## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

Hell, I'm all for this. As long as the term "Chili" can only be used it if it made in the state of Texas. The rest of y'all have to call it Spicy Meat Stew.


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## croatan (Mar 23, 2005)

I think it's a good thing. Of course, I am an elitist snob who sniggers at people who enjoy their California Champagne with Ecuadorian Pinars rolled with genuine 100% pre-embargo Cuban tobacco.


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